This invention relates to a device for monitoring sleep posture and the prophylaxis of sleep apnea and snoring in cases wherein these conditions are a function of sleep posture.
Sleep apnea is a medical illness in which patients periodically stop breathing during sleep. An apnea is defined as a period of 10 seconds or greater duration of no respiration. After onset of an apnea episode, sleep typically lightens to the point where breathing resumes, after 10 to 180 seconds, or the patient may wake up. Patients usually remain unaware of their sleep apneas, even though they may awaken as many as several hundred times each night. Episodes of repeated sleep apneas may take up practically the entire night.
Three types of sleep apneas have been identified:
(1) Central apneas are defined by an absence of any respiratory effort.
(2) Obstructive apneas involve a collapse of the upper airway. Respiratory efforts are made, but no air flows through the airway.
(3) Mixed apneas are a combination of the two types.
Sleep apnea can lead to additional medical disorders including:
(1) Elevation of blood pressure during sleep which may lead to essential hypertension during wakefulness as well.
(2) Severe cardiac arrhythmias in association with sleep apnea episodes which may lead to cardiac problems.
(3) Sudden unexplained death during sleep.
(4) Excessive daytime sleepiness, which is often severe enough to interfere with employment, driving, and interpersonal and family relationships.
(5) Heavy snoring associated particularly with obstructive apnea. Indeed obstructive apnea has been found in many heavy snorers who did not complain of any other sleep problem.
(6) Damage to the brain and other internal organs associated with repeated episodes of blood oxygen desaturation.
Sleep apneas of the obstructive type are often a function of sleep posture. For example, the patient who experiences sleep apneas when sleeping on his back may have fewer or no significant apnea episodes when sleeping on his side.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a device to monitor sleep posture during diagnostic polysomnographic monitoring for sleep apnea.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device for the prophylaxis of particular sleep postures with the goal of preventing or reducing the frequency of obstructive sleep apnea episodes and snoring.
A further object of this invention is to provide a device for training patients to avoid sleeping in particular sleep postures by means of an aversive conditioning paradigm.